Dubuque @ Home

Welcome to the City of Dubuque Department of Housing and Community Development. Through our work in revitalizing neighborhoods, assisting families in buying and preserving their homes and creating safe, affordable rental housing, we believe our department has contributed to enhancing the quality of life for families throughout our City. We are proud of our work and appreciate an opportunity to present to you what we do. Our goal is to invest in change through community development because everyone should have a chance to share in the prosperity Dubuque has to offer. We invest in housing stability and economic security to help families save and build assets to move up the economic ladder and create opportunity for generations of Dubuque area families to live and grow in a sustainable community.

A sustainable community helps people recognize and develop their abilities and potential to organize themselves to respond to problems and needs which they share. Our policies support the establishment of strong communities that control and use assets to promote social justice and help improve the quality of community life. It also enables community and public agencies to work together to improve the quality of life in Dubuque. As a strategy to implement a sustainable community, we offer Dubuque @ Home, a new day for our community.

DUBUQUE @ HOME is a strategic initiative with programs and services contributing to our sustainable community. We promote and support individuals, families, healthy homes with sustainable living. This initiative provides neighborhoods with opportunities for growth. It serves as an economic engine for the community. Dubuque @ Home is a better way of thinking that symbolizes a holistic approach to community living. Dubuque @ Home is embodied in our four divisions:

The Goals: To operate programs that provide assistance to those in need and challenges people to grow and move forward. Provide revitalization of our core neighborhoods and their infrastructures and assist the twelve neighborhood associations with planning and other development needs that fit their individual communities. Maintain a schedule of general housing rental inspections to verify safe living conditions and insure the well-being of citizens and provide an opportunity for our working residents in our Assisted Housing Program to make bigger contributions to Dubuque through community service. To collaborate throughout the entire city with strategies that brings abandoned buildings back to life in addition to promoting safe neighborhoods, education, employment, and economic development.

The Focus: Quality of community life by personal development, positive action, community organization and citizen participation.
The Method: Promote capacity building, learning and engagement.
The Slogan: A better way of thinking leads to a better way of living

Dubuque @ Home has adopted a set of seven core values that uniquely spells out the name of Dubuque but more importantly encompasses the goals and priorities of the City Council and a sustainable community. The seven core values are:

Diversity of Social Inclusion and Balance: Builds on a balanced approach that addresses and integrates economic, social, environmental and cultural considerations.

Understanding Respect for Local Values: Strives to understand and respect community values as we share those values with one another

Belief in Volunteerism: Values, respects, nurtures and encourages volunteerism and community service.

Unique Focus on Community Assets: Dubuque is built on existing community assets, especially desire of people to grow and move forward.

Quality in Local Leadership: Through the City Council, Commissions, Boards and public engagement the community plays a leadership role in its own development.

Expectation of Transparency and Accountability: As a part of government involvement in the community, Dubuque @ Home encourages transparency as evidenced by our invitation to “See foryourself”: come, visit and examine.